The Buyer's Guide

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Apple TV 4K

Models

An all-around great product that's among the best in its category. You'll almost certainly be happy.

89

An all-around great product that's among the best in its category. You'll almost certainly be happy.

How we score

The Engadget Score is a unique ranking of products based on extensive independent research and analysis by our expert editorial and research teams. The Global Score is arrived at only after curating hundreds, sometimes thousands of weighted data points (such as critic and user reviews).

Engadget Review

The Apple TV 4K packs in almost everything the last model was missing, and its push towards making 4K releases cheaper is noble. But there aren’t many third-party apps supporting the new format at launch, and Apple also made some curious decisions that might make some serious home theater enthusiasts hold off.

Is it worth paying out the extra for the Apple TV 4K over the fourth-gen device? Essentially, yes, as long as you have/are planning to buy a 4K HDR TV and can benefit from the free upgrade of your iTunes movie collection.

It's got a nice clean interface, and the inclusion of support for Dolby Vision sets it apart from much of the competition. Ultimately the box will be most helpful to people already invested in Apple's ecosystem, who will benefit most from its Apple-specific features like HomeKit and AirPlay.

Spend the best part of £200 on a new 4K box, no-one will laugh at you, especially if much of your media comes courtesy of Apple Inc. But with a world of credible ... rivals, it’s beginning to feel like Apple needs to take longer strides in the TV world than those made by the new 4K.

If you’re already invested in the iTunes store, don’t want to mess with the potential fussiness of Android on the Nvidia Shield, or you’re desperate to have very nice looking first run movies without dropping cash on a Blu-ray player, then the Apple TV 4K should be at the top of your list.